Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu offered help to his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar in a phone call Monday, after a deadly earthquake struck Turkey and Syria earlier Monday.
Shoigu “offered to provide all necessary assistance through the military department to the Turkish colleague in the aftermath of the earthquake, including medical assistance to the victims,” according to the readout of the call published by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
He also expressed his condolences to Akar for the numerous casualties and destruction, the readout added.
Akar thanked the Russian defense minister for the offered assistance, “promising to prepare specific proposals in the near future,” the readout went on to say.
Earlier Monday, Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, suggested Russian rescuers have technologies of determining the viability of buildings after earthquakes that could be useful, and said Moscow is “waiting for the signals” from the Turkish side.
“We have expressed readiness [to provide assistance] at the highest political level, we are waiting for signals from Turkish friends,” Peskov told reporters.